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Numbers Chapter
Three
Numbers 3
Chapter Contents
The sons of Aaron
The Levites taken instead of the
first-born. (1-13) The Levites numbered by their families
Their duties.
(14-39) The first-born are numbered. (40-51)
Commentary on Numbers 3:1-13
There was much work belonging to the priests' office
and
there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites
to attend them. Those whom God finds work for
he will find help for. The
Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us
saves us
as the first-born of Israel were saved
we are laid under further obligations
to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption
confirms the right he
has to us by creation.
Commentary on Numbers 3:14-39
The Levites were in three classes
according to the sons
of Levi; Gershon
Kohath
and Merari; and these were subdivided into families.
The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged
but stood upon
the level with other Levites; thus it was plain
that Moses did not seek the
advancement of his own family
or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of
Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God's chosen are but a little
flock in comparison with the world.
Commentary on Numbers 3:40-51
The number of the first-born
and that of the Levites
came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is
an exact proportion between them
and so it will appear
when they are compared
together. The small number of first-born
over and above the number of the
Levites
were to be redeemed
and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The
church is called the church of the first-born
which is redeemed
not as they
were
with silver and gold; but
being devoted by sin to the justice of God
is
ransomed with the precious blood of the Son of God. All men are the Lord's by
creation
and all true christians are his by redemption. Each should know his
own post and duty; nor can any service required by such a Master be rightly
accounted mean or hard.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
Numbers 3
Verse 1
[1]
These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD
spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
These —
Which follow in this chapter.
The generations —
The kindred or family. Moses his family and children are here included under
the general name of the Amramites
Numbers 3:27
which includes all the children
and grand-children of Amram
the persons only of Aaron and Moses being
excepted. And the generations of Moses are thus obscurely mentioned
because
they were but common Levites
the priesthood being given solely to Aaron's
posterity
whence Aaron is here put before Moses
who elsewhere is commonly
named after him.
In Sinai —
Nadab and Abihu
were then alive
though dead at the time of taking this
account.
Verse 4
[4] And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD
when they offered strange fire
before the LORD
in the wilderness of Sinai
and they had no children: and
Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron
their father.
In the sight of Aaron — Under his inspection and direction
and as their father's servants or
ministers in the priest's office.
Verse 6
[6]
Bring the tribe of Levi near
and present them before Aaron the priest
that
they may minister unto him.
Present them —
Offer them to the Lord for his special service. This was promised to them
before
and now actually conferred.
Verse 7
[7] And
they shall keep his charge
and the charge of the whole congregation before the
tabernacle of the congregation
to do the service of the tabernacle.
His charge —
That is
Aaron's
or those things which are committed principally to Aaron's
care and oversight.
Of the congregation —
That is
of all the sacrifices and services which are due to the Lord from all
the people
because the people might not perform them
in their own persons
therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their stead;
formerly by the first-born
Numbers 8:16
and now by the Levites.
Before the tabernacle — Not within the tabernacle
for the care of the things within the holy
place was appropriated to the priests
as the care of the most holy place was
to the high-priest.
Verse 8
[8] And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation
and the charge of the children of Israel
to do the service of the tabernacle.
Of the children of Israel — Those things which all the children of Israel are in their several
places and stations obliged to take care of
though not in their persons
yet
by others in their stead.
Verse 9
[9] And
thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given
unto him out of the children of Israel.
Given to him — To
attend upon him and observe his orders
and ease him of his burden.
Verse 10
[10] And
thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons
and they shall wait on their priest's
office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
The stranger —
That is
every one who is of another family than Aaron's; yea
though he be a
Levite.
That cometh nigh — To
execute any part of the priest's office.
Verse 12
[12] And
I
behold
I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead
of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel:
therefore the Levites shall be mine;
The first-born —
Who were God's property
Exodus 13:12
and to whom the administration of
holy things was formerly committed
which now was taken away from them
either
because they had forfeited this privilege by joining with the rest of their
brethren in the idolatrous worship of the calf
or because they were to be
mainly concerned in the distribution and management of the inheritances which
now they were going to possess
and therefore could not be at leisure to attend
upon the service of the sanctuary: and God would not commit it to some other
persons in each tribe
which might be an occasion of idolatry
confusion
division
and contempt of sacred things
but to one distinct tribe
which might
be entirely devoted to that service
and particularly to the tribe of Levi;
partly out of his respect to Moses and Aaron
branches of this tribe; partly as
a recompence of their zeal for God against idolaters
and partly because it was
the smallest of the tribes
and therefore most likely to find both employment
in
and maintenance for the work.
Verse 15
[15]
Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers
by their
families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
From a month old —
Because at that time the first-born
in whose stead the Levites came
were
offered to God. And from that time the Levites were consecrated to God
and
were
as soon as capable
instructed in their work. Elsewhere they are numbered
from twenty-five years old
when they were entered as novices into part of
their work
Numbers 8:24
and from thirty years old
when
they were admitted to their whole office.
Verse 25
[25] And
the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall
be the tabernacle
and the tent
the covering thereof
and the hanging for the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation
The tabernacle —
Not the boards
which belonged to Merari
Numbers 3:36
but the ten curtains.
The tent —
The curtains of goats hair.
The coverings —
That is
the coverings of rams-skins and badgers-skins.
Verse 26
[26] And
the hangings of the court
and the curtain for the door of the court
which is
by the tabernacle
and by the altar round about
and the cords of it for all
the service thereof.
The cords — By
which the tabernacle was fastened to the pins
and stretched out
Exodus 35:18.
Verse 27
[27] And
of Kohath was the family of the Amramites
and the family of the Izeharites
and the family of the Hebronites
and the family of the Uzzielites: these are
the families of the Kohathites.
Of Kohath —
This family had many privileges above the others: of that were Moses and Aaron
and all the priests: they had the chief place about the tabernacle
and the
care of the most holy things here
and in the land of Canaan they had twenty
three cities
which were almost as many as both their brethren received. Yet
the posterity of Moses were not at all dignified or distinguished from other
Levites. So far was he from seeking any advantage or honour for his own family.
Verse 28
[28] In
the number of all the males
from a month old and upward
were eight thousand
and six hundred
keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
Keeping —
That is
appointed for that work
as soon as they were capable of it.
Of the sanctuary — That
is
of the holy things contained in or belonging to the sanctuary.
Verse 31
[31] And
their charge shall be the ark
and the table
and the candlestick
and the
altars
and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister
and the
hanging
and all the service thereof.
The hanging —
Which covered the most holy place
for all other hangings belonged to the
Gershonites.
The service —
That is
all the other furniture belonging to it.
Verse 32
[32] And
Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the
Levites
and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
Chief —
Next under the high-priest; whence he is called the second priest
2 Kings 25:18
and in case of the high-priest's
absence by sickness or other necessary occasions
he was to perform his work
and he had a superiority over all the rest of the priests and Levites.
The chief of the Levites — That is
over those three persons
who were each the chief of their
several families
Numbers 3:24
31
34.
Verse 38
[38] But
those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east
even before the
tabernacle of the congregation eastward
shall be Moses
and Aaron and his
sons
keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of
Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
For the charge —
Either in their stead
that charge which they were obliged to keep
if God had
not committed it to those: or for their benefit; for their preservation
as the
word may be rendered.
Verse 39
[39] All
that were numbered of the Levites
which Moses and Aaron numbered at the
commandment of the LORD
throughout their families
all the males from a month
old and upward
were twenty and two thousand.
Two and twenty thousand — If the particular numbers mentioned Numbers 3:22
28
34
be put together
they make
22
300. But the odd 300 are omitted here
either according to the use of the
holy scripture
where in so great numbers small sums are commonly neglected
or
because they were the first-born of the Levites
and therefore belonged to
God already
and so could not be given to him again instead of the other
first-born. If this number of first-born seem small to come from 22
000
Levites
it must be considered
that only such first-born are here named as
were males
and such as continued in their parents families
not such as had
erected new families of their own. Add to this
that God so ordered things by
his wise providence for divers weighty reasons
that this tribe should be much
the least of all the tribes
as is evident by comparing the numbers of the
other tribes
from twenty years old
Numbers 1:3-49
with the number of this from a
month old; and therefore it is not strange if the number of their first-born be
less than in other tribes.
Verse 41
[41] And
thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn
among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the
firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
Instead of the first-born — Such as are now alive of them
but those which should be born of them
hereafter are otherwise disposed.
Of the Levites —
Not that they were to be taken from the Levites
or to be sacrificed to God
any more than the Levites themselves were; but they together with the Levites
were to be presented before the Lord by way of acknowledgment
that the Levites
might be set apart for God's service
and their cattle for themselves as God's
ministers
and for their support in God's work.
Verse 46
[46] And
for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and
thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel
which are more than the
Levites;
For those that are to be redeemed — 'Tis probable
in the exchange they began with the eldest of the
first-born
and so downwards
so that those were to be redeemed
who were the
two hundred
seventy three youngest of them.
Verse 47
[47] Thou
shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll
after the shekel of the
sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
Five shekels —
Which was the price paid for the redemption of a first-born a month old.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Numbers》
03 Chapter 3
Verses 1-13
The priests which were anointed.
Aaron and his sons: parents and children
In Numbers 3:1-4 we have--
I. An incidental
illustration of the exalted personal character and the divine mission of Moses.
II. An intimation
that the duties of the ministers of religion demand for their faithful
discharge their entire consecration thereto.
III. An example of
wicked sons descending from a godly parent.
IV. An example of
the widest difference of character and destiny in children of the same parents.
Our subject utters earnest counsels--
1. To the children of godly parents. Trust not in the character and
prayers of your parents for salvation. These are of priceless value
yet they
will not avail to your salvation apart from your own faith and obedience. (See Ezekiel 18:1-32.)
2. To parents. Be diligent and faithful in the discharge of your duty
to your children.
The dedication of the
Levites--
Church work and workers
verses 5-10.
I. The offices of
the church are divinely instituted.
II. There are
different ranks in the offices of the church as instituted by God.
III. The lowliest labour
in the service of God is sacred and blessed.
IV. God also
appoints the persons to fill the various offices in his church.
V. Intrusion into
sacred places and duties awakened the stern displeasure of the Lord.
Conclusion:
1. Encouragement to those who are called of God to Christian work. He
who has called you to your work will sustain you in it
make it efficient by
His blessing
and confer upon you rich rewards.
2. Admonition as to our estimate of the ministers of the Lord. They
“are ambassadors for Christ.” God Himself speaks through them to men. (W.
Jones.)
God’s claim upon man’s service:
From Numbers 3:11-13
we learn--
I. God’s claims
upon man’s service are incontestable. Upon what are they grounded?
1. Upon what He is in Himself.
2. Upon what He does for man.
II. There is a
correspondence between the gifts and the claims of God. His demands are
proportioned to His bestowments.
1. This is righteous.
2. This is beneficent.
III. The divine
arrangements are ever marked by infinite wisdom and kindness. (W. Jones.)
The measure of the Divine demands upon man:
I. God gave the
best he had to effect our salvation.
II. The son gave
himself. Let us sacrifice ourselves to God as He sacrificed His Son for us.
1. Thus only can we attain to a high ideal in religion. Be the best
possible Christian: be not content with mediocrity: aim high.
2. This is the best way to be useful. The power of Christianity is in
the fact of Christ giving Himself. Our influence for good is in proportion to
our selfsacrifice.
3. This is the way to enjoy religion. The more we give of self to
God
the more will He give of Himself to us. Let all think of what God has done
for them
and consider what returns they have made to Him. (David Lloyd.)
The necessity of a standing ministry
We see in this place
how Moses immediately after the numbering of
the people
that meddled not with the ministry of the word
or killing of the
sacrifices
or serving in the tabernacle
or carrying of the ark
or teaching
of the people
handleth in the next place the fashion of the ministry. For let
there be never so great order or good policy in the commonwealth
yet if the
care of the ministry be neglected
all is to little purpose. We see from hence
the goodly order that God observeth in this great army. He establisheth among
them most carefully the holy ministry to the end they might be instructed in
the Word. Hereby we learn that among all nations and people under the heavens
the ministry of the Word ought to be planted and established
to guide them in
the ways of godliness.
1. A certain and settled ministry is an evident token that God hath a
church and a people to be begotten by the immortal seed of the Word.
2. Without the light of the Word the people remain in darkness and
cannot see: they grope at noonday
and know not what they do--as it was in
Egypt when the plague of palpable darkness was sent among them (Exodus 10:23).
3. The necessity of a ministry is so evident that all the Gentiles
had their priests and prophets that attended on their profane and superstitious
altars
and it was their first care to establish a religion
such as it was
among them. If it were thus among them who saw darkly
and were without the
true light of the Scripture
much more ought we to learn it
that have been
taught better things
and have the sure word of the prophets to guide us.
4. Such is our frailty
that notwithstanding we live under a settled
ministry
and have given our names to the faith
yet we are ready to start back
again. For as the body is prone to pine away without supply of daily food
so
are our souls ready to perish
being destitute of the heavenly manna of the Word
of God.
Uses:
1. There is offered unto us this truth arising from the doctrine
itself
that the preaching of the Word by the minister
and the hearing of it
by the people
is no ceremony nor a matter of indifferency
such as may either
be done or left undone at our own discretion
but it is such a part of the
public service of God as ought not to be neglected without great sin.
2. It serveth to reprove divers abuses.
3. Must the ministry be established among all people under heaven?
Then let every one of us be careful for our parts to plant it among us
and to
bring it home to the places of our abode.
4. Let the ministers be careful to discharge their calling
and to
teach the people in season and out of season. They must be lights of the world
and as savoury salt to season them with wholesome doctrine.
5. Let the people carefully attend to the ministry of the Word
where
it is settled and planted
with a good conscience
as to God’s holy ordinance
vouchsafed unto them. Let them bring attention in hearing
diligence in
marking
and obedience in practising. Let them not use any delays to shift off
the performance of this duty. (W. Attersoll.)
Consecrated lives:
In the artist’s studio a fleck of paint lies upon the palette. It
is so much colour and nothing more; till
taken up by the brush of the master
and laid upon the canvas
it becomes a rosy flush on beauty’s cheek
or a
lustrous cloud in a golden sunset. So has many a mean and common life been
touched by the Master’s hand to higher uses; so has many an humble believer
been caught up from the poverty of his earthly lot to be a glorious spirit
before the throne of the “Eternal Light.”
Vocation is in a line with fitness
If we agree that the Christian ministry is a vocation for the
teaching
in various forms
of Christian righteousness
the question next
comes
What is meant by a “call” to it? Is this anything different from that
inward impulse to a specific form of work which arises in a man from a
consciousness of special gifts in that direction? In that sense a man may be
said to be called to the work of a musician or artist. The parents of Mozart
when they found their son
at the age of seven
playing before the crowned
heads of Europe
need have been in no doubt as to his life work. It was
revealed in his gifts more plainly than it could have been by a voice from
heaven. And when
on the other hand
Mozart’s own son
once asked whether he
loved music
replied by flinging down some coins on the table and exclaiming
“That’s the only music I care for
” it was equally evident that whatever he
came into the world to do
it was not to follow in the steps of his father.
Vocation here undoubtedly is in a line with fitness. The tools are for him who can use
them. (Christian World.)
God improves the life given to Him in service:
It is said of vapours
that rising out of the earth
the heavens
return them again in pure water
much clearer
and more refined than they
received them; or as it is said of the earth
that receiving the sea-water and
puddle-water
it gives it better than it received it in the springs and
fountains
for it strains the water and purifies it
that whereas when it came
into the bowels of the earth it was muddy
salt
and brinish
it returns pure
clear
and fresh
as out of the well-head waters are well known to come. Thus
if men would but give up their heart’s desire
and the strength of their
affections unto God
He would not only give them back again
but withal much
better than when He received them
their affections should be more pure
their thoughts
and all the faculties of soul and body should be renewed
cleansed
beautified
and put into a far better condition than formerly they were. (J. Spencer.)
From a month old.
Dedication of infants to God
That He taketh them from a month old is a thing of good
use
and we may note it
for it notably showeth that we may destinate our
children to God before they be fit for any other course of life. In the Gospel
those parents that brought little children to Christ are chronicled up for an
eternal praise of them
and for an example to all parents to the end of the
world. Matthew calleth them “little children.” Luke calleth them “babes
” even
such as yet hanged upon the breast
effectually noting how soon we should bring
them to Christ. Satan’s envy even against these babes to be brought to Christ
appeareth there
and our Saviour’s unspeakable good against that malice
commanding them to be brought unto Him
and not to be hindered
taking them in
His arms
putting His hands upon them
blessing them
and graciously affirming
that “of such is the kingdom of God.” A natural parent wishes all good to his
child
and as he is able
procureth it
even as the root spreadeth his sap to
the branches without grudge or exception; and a religious parent
above all
worldly good
careth for God’s holy fear to be planted in his child. For the
effecting whereof soon he bringeth him unto Christ
knowing that the first liquor
put into a vessel is of great force ever in the same. Alas
what will the whole
world profit them
were we able to give it them
ii eternally they be
damned--yea
they and we both
they for not knowing Christ
and we for not
bringing them to Christ. Wherefore earnest is that commandment of the Holy
Ghost
“Fathers
bring up your children in instruction and information of the
Lord.” Abraham is registered up for this care; and whilst this Book of God
remaineth it will be found written to their praise that Timothy’s grandmother
and mother brought him up in the knowledge of the Scripture from a child.
Honour may shine and glory may glitter
but how soon covered with a cloud.
Beauty much wished
but permanent with neither wishes nor wisdom whatsoever.
Only the good gotten by bringing children to Christ remaineth for ever in his
reward. And therefore let religious parents have a care of it
even soon
soon
remembering this place
that the Levites
appointed for His service
He would
have numbered from a month old. (Bp. Babington.)
Church membership of children:
What
then
is this infant membership? What conception can we take
of it which will justify its Christian dignity? A great many persons who are
very sharp at this kind of criticism appear to have never observed that
creatures existing under conditions of growth allow no such terms of
classification as those do which are dead and have no growth; such
for
example
as stones
metals
and earths. They are certain that gold is not iron
and iron is not silver
and they suppose that they can class the growing and
transitional creatures
that are separated by no absolute lines
in the same
manner. They talk of colts and horses
lambs and sheep
and it possibly not
once occurs to them that they can never tell when the colt becomes a horse
or
the lamb a sheep; and that about the most definite thing they can say
when
pressed with that question
is that the colt is potentially a horse
the lamb a
sheep
even from the first
having in itself this definite futurition; and
therefore
that while horses and sheep are not all to be classed as colts and
lambs
all colts and lambs may be classed as horses and sheep. And just so
children are all men and women; and if there is the law of futurition in them
to justify it
may be fitly classed as believing men and women. And all the
sharp arguments that go to cover their membership as such in the Church with
absurdity
or to turn it into derision
are just such arguments as the
inventors could raise with equal point to ridicule the horsehood and sheephood
of the young animals just referred to. The propriety of this membership does
not lie in what those infants can or cannot believe
or do or do not believe
at some given time
as
for example
on the day of their baptism; but it lies
in tile covenant of promise
which makes their parents parents in the Lord;
their nurture a nurture of the Lord
and so constitutes a force of futurition
by which they are to grow up imperceptibly into “faithfuls among faithfuls
” in
Christ Jesus . . . The conception
then
of this membership is
that it is
potentially a real one; that it stands
for the present
in the faith of the
parents and the promise which is to them and to their children
and that on
this ground they may well enough be accounted believers
just as they are
accounted potentially men and women. Then
as they come forward into maturity
it is to be assumed that they will come forward into faith
being grown in the
nurture of faith
and will claim for themselves the membership into which they
were before inserted. Nor is this a case which has no analogies that it should
be held up as a mark of derision. It is generally supposed that our common law
has some basis of common sense. And yet this body of law makes every infant
child a citizen; requiring
as a point of public order
the whole constabulary
and even military force of the state to come to the rescue or the redress of
his wrongs
when his person is seized or property invaded by conspiracy. This
infant child can sue and be sued; for the Court of Chancery will appoint him a
guardian
whose acts shall be the child’s acts; and it shall be as if he were
answerable for his own education
dress
board
entertainments
and the damages
done by his servants
precisely as if he were a man acting in his own cause.
Doubtless it may sound very absurdly to call him a citizen. What can he do as a
citizen? He cannot vote or bear arms; he does not even know what these things
mean
and yet he is a citizen. In one view he votes
bears arms
legislates
even in his cradle; for the potentiality is in him
and the state takes him up
in her arms
as it were
to own him as her citizen. (H. Bushnell
D. D.)
Verses 33-39
These shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle.
The placing of the Levites throughout the host
In this division we see more particularly that which was in part
noted before
namely
the several situations that these Levites had about the
tabernacle
which they compassed round about that they might not be far from
any of the people of God
but always resident among them. This teacheth us that
God will have every part of His people taught. None are too high in regard of
their great places; none are too low in regard of their obscure callings; none
are too good to be taught
whatsoever their degrees be. This will be made plain
by divers reasons.
1. Consider the titles that are given unto God in the Scriptures. He
is worthily called the King of His Church
and the Lord and Master of His
house. Is not He “the Shepherd of Israel that leadeth Josephlike sheep”? (Psalms 80:1). Will a shepherd that hath
any care of his sheep
or any love unto them
look unto some of them and not to
all? Will a king regard only the chief cities and most populous places of his
kingdom
and suffer the rest to live as they list
without laws and good
orders? Or will the master of a house look to some in his family
and not to
all?
2. Such is the grace and goodness of God
that He would have all His
people come to knowledge. Such as know not His will are none of His servants.
If then He require the understanding of His ways
not only of rich men
of
great men
of learned men
and of the ministers
but of all the people
we must
hereof conclude that He hath ordained that all of them should have the means of
knowledge and salvation offered unto them
and published among them.
3. The Word of God was penned for all estates
degrees
and
conditions of men.
4. All persons
whatsoever they be
have souls to save: simple
persons
small congregations
little assemblies
as well as others that ale
many in number.
Uses:
1. It is God’s ordinance that every congregation should have a
learned minister to teach them the true religion and fear of God.
2. It is required of the ministers of the Gospel
whom the Holy Ghost
hath made overseers of their several flocks
to look to their whole charge from
one corner of it to another. They are to give an account for every soul that dies through
their ignorance or through their negligence.
3. We have warrant from hence to desire most earnestly that the
kingdom of God may flourish everywhere. Christ our Saviour teaches us to pray
that His kingdom may come (Matthew 6:10)
and so to be erected in
the hearts of men.
4. This doctrine serveth as an instruction to all magistrates (as
their places serve them)
to further the preaching of the Word
and to furnish such places as belong unto them with
able teachers. (W. Attersoll.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》